I FELT compelled to respond to Andrew Banks (The Border Mail, October 14) regarding Sophie Mirabella’s defeat.
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He expresses bemusement at the discussion but then adds to it by conjuring up a convoluted scenario that would have delivered victory to Mrs Mirabella.
Andrew, there is one statistic that you and other die-hard supporters should digest.
At last year’s election, the Coalition won with a national swing of 3.6 per cent, but in Indi there was nearly a 10 per cent swing against Mrs Mirabella, the only sitting Liberal to lose her seat.
That vote was an indictment of the sitting member.
It was a protest against her divisiveness, her character and extreme politics and a vote of confidence for a candidate of completely different values in Cathy McGowan.
Andrew comments on Mrs Mirabella’s “forthright representation”.
Is he referring to the time she called fellow Liberal Petro Geogiou a “political terrorist”, or when she told Liberal Senator Bill Heffernan to “pop his Alzheimer’s pills”?
What about the time she was suspended from Parliament for 24 hours for constant interjections and missed a vital vote on the carbon tax. A fellow Liberal said her first priority was “the chamber”.
Then there was the comment about her “community involvement”.
Was he referring to her outrageous claims concerning the headspace and Border cancer centres?
It is time to accept the people’s verdict Andrew.
Time to realise we have an elected representative who truly reflects the values and aspirations of Indi residents.
— ALAN HEWETT,
Indigo Valley